


Intro to Fairytales and Fake Marriages

by fruit_loops



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternative Universe - Kingdom, Angst, Everyone Is Gay, Fluff, Gay, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Love, M/M, So very sorry, Trobed, abed is a sinamon bun, cant do tagging, theyre so in love its adorable, troy is a cinnamon bun
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:27:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26021896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fruit_loops/pseuds/fruit_loops
Summary: Prince Troy of Greendale, praised for his athleticism and rugged good looks, is betrothed to Princess Annie of Citylan. Only two problems: he's gay and in love with Abed, a villager.
Relationships: Troy Barnes/Abed Nadir
Comments: 23
Kudos: 55





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> okay so im sorry if this medieval stuff is wrong i took most of the information from sofia the first. god bless. also the italics are troy's thoughts. okay thats all thank you. hope you enjoy *thumbs up*

Troy's eyes fluttered open. He could faintly make out the hues of yellow and orange that were draping him in warmth. He shifted his head involuntarily to shield his eyes from the brightness. It slowly dawned on him that the presence underneath his head was definitely not his pillow. He didn't remember his pillow being this bony. He carefully moved his head up, switching his gaze from the sunlight to the sleeping boy underneath him. He looked messy, almost innocent, which was a stark contrast to the well put-together persona he had mastered over the years.

His slightly parted lips allowed a small noise to escape from them.  _ Oh my god he was snoring.  _

Troy couldn't help but admire how he looked under the morning light. The sunlight streamed through his stained-glass window and hit him at just the right angle so that the left side of his face was glowing. It was a beautiful sight.

All of Abed was a beautiful sight.

They had fallen asleep yesterday night at the castle talking about dragons and knights and what to do in case a witch turned the other into a frog. Soon the day slipped away from them and it became too risky to sneak Abed back out, so Troy just suggested he stay the night. There was enough space on the bed for them to sleep apart, but they still found themselves curled into one another on his queen-size bed, with Troy resting his head on Abed's chest and their legs intertwined. They stayed up a few more hours after that, whispering about hypotheticals and stories that could in no way ever come true.

Troy could feel the rise and fall of Abed's chest and changed his own breathing to match the taller boy's.

It was a picture-perfect moment. Or, at least it would've been if not for the loud knocking on his door.

"Prince Troy!" cried the castle stewardess as she banged her fist on the wooden door of his bedroom. "Wake up, Prince Troy!"

Abed jolted awake. The top half of his hair was sticking out in all sorts of places while the bottom half curled around the base of his neck. It would have been adorable if not for the sheer look of horror on his face.

"You have to get out of here!" whisper-screamed Troy. He tried to keep the panic out of his voice to no avail. They quickly scrambled out of bed and made a break for the window. 

Troy grabbed his and Abed's mess of a rope from under the bed and threw the end of it out of the window, tying the other end to the foot of his bed. 

A few weeks ago, Abed suggested they tie several clothes and sheets together to fasten a rope just in case of this exact situation. Troy was grateful for his boyfriend's intelligent way of thinking, but it didn't help that when Abed came up with the idea, they were making out.

Troy was brought out of his flashback by Abed putting his legs on the windowsill, his hands shaking furiously (this was the first time he did this). He swung his legs over the window and dug his fingers into the top of the windowsill, carving scratches on the wood. Troy's mind was racing.  _ What if he falls? What if he falls and breaks his back? OH MY GOD WHAT IF HE FALLS AND DIES??  _ He was unknowingly tapping his foot on the hardwood floor and shaking his hands, his heartbeat becoming more and more erratic by the second. His thoughts, however, were quelled as Abed fisted his shirt and pulled him in for a kiss. The kiss was quick and chaste, but still sent butterflies into his stomach. Troy didn't have time to enjoy the kiss before Abed flashed him a small smile and then let go of the windowsill, sliding down their makeshift rope. Troy watched as his body became smaller and smaller, and then dashed into the woods. 

_ Wow can't believe that plan actually worked. _

"Prince Troy!" The stewardess banged on the door more furiously this time, her sweet and soothing voice replaced with an angry and demanding one. "PRINCE TROY!"

Troy carefully smoothed down his pajamas, then shook his head, trying to rid the butterflies in his stomach.

"Coming!" he called before quickly rushing to the door. He opened it and was greeted by an exasperated middle-aged women. She had one hand on her hip and was tapping her foot in impatience. "Sorry Shirley." His apology was half-hearted. He really didn't think she had waited long enough for her to look at him like that.

"Sorry Shirley my ass. King Samuel and Queen Ada have been waiting for you in the dining room. They want to talk to you. You can't see them looking like that." She looked him up and down and then scoffed as if to further prove her point. "Change first and then join them for breakfast."

"Got it. Thanks." he replied before immediately shutting the door on her face. He wasn't quick enough though, and caught a glimpse of her stink-eye before fully closing his bedroom door.

As he started to get ready, he couldn't help but think about how close they were to being caught. Thank god he remembered to lock the door yesterday while sneaking Abed upstairs. He knows Shirley has a habit of opening doors without knocking.  _ I'm gonna have to be more careful next time Abed comes over. Maybe next time I can sneak him inside a cake!  _ Troy was so caught up in his daydream about which cake flavor that he was halfway out the door before he realized his pants were on backward.  _ Shit _ . He took off his pants and then put them on correctly before checking himself in the mirror to make sure all his other clothes were on right. He was wearing a sleek, black cloak with silver fringes draped over a simple button up and his favorite black trousers that hung loosely off his legs.The cloak was a little small on him, but he was too unbothered to get another one. Nothing too fancy, but nothing too casual either. Troy was turning from side-to-side, checking out how  _ good _ he looked in that outfit.  _ Like damn.  _

_ Never mind that, gotta go downstairs. _ He shook his head and briskly walked out the door, determined to meet his parents for breakfast on time. 

His hands immediately cling to the staircase railings as he steps down the stairs one foot after the other. It was a habit he picked up on after falling down the stairs countless times as a child. His mother used to scold him for running up and down them. "Someday you're going to trip and fall and crack your skull open!" He made sure to always hold onto the railings after that.

His mind is swirling with thoughts and ideas (as it always is), but over the past few years it had all started to concentrate on one person: Abed. He's always thinking about Abed. Even when Troy is sleeping he appears in his dreams (nightmares too. Abed is always the one to save him in his nightmares). At first, he slowly trickled into his dreams, only appearing about once a week. But soon, he became a frequent occurrence. The dreams were always about the same thing: He and Abed, dressed as knights, would slay the mighty dragon and rescue the princess from her tall tower. When they retrieved the beautiful princess, Troy would sweep her off her feet and then lean in for a tender kiss. But over time, the dream shifted into Troy sweeping Abed off of his feet and then leaning in for a tender kiss at the end of their voyage. After that happened, he woke up in a cold sweat.  _ That's impossible! I don't like Abed! I'm not gay. _ But he couldn't ignore the feeling of warmth spreading over his body, from his palms all the way to his feet. No matter how much he refused to admit it, kissing Abed in that dream felt right. More right than any other girl he had ever kissed. He tried to deny it. To suppress it deep down.  _ I don't like guys. I can't like guys. _ He repeated it to himself several times a day. At first, he decided to ignore Abed and push him away, spending as little time with him as possible. But soon, not seeing his face just became too much to bear. It took him a while to realize that the warmth in his chest, the tingling sensation in his fingers, the lightness of his head, the butterflies in his stomach weren't just platonic feelings. He loved Abed. Like,  **_love_ ** _ loved _ him. The  _ would very much die for him _ kind. The  _ would do anything for him _ kind. Even if that meant roleplaying a sex scene in the forest so Abed could get a better sense of who Chad was (Chad was the character Abed created for a play he was writing). And the feeling scared him! He didn't know it was even possible to feel so strongly about a person, no less a man. But Abed opened his eyes and showed him that it was okay to be who he was. And that no matter what, he was always going to be there for him. Always.

He finished his brief flashback as he walked off the final step of the staircase and into the dining room.

The dining room could easily fit 200 people, maybe more. The large mahogany desk in the middle of the room was draped with doilies and bowls of fake apples and oranges. His parents were seated at the table, his father, King Samuel, at the head of the table, and his mother, Queen Ada, seated to the right of him. They were whispering to each other, barely able to contain the smiles on their faces and excitement in their voices. 

"Ah! Troy! Good morning!" his father cried. He was in a cheerily good mood. His grin stretching from ear to ear. He hadn't smiled like that at Troy in a while. Not since he had to forfeit his championship wrestling match against Citylan, Greendale's rival kingdom. Troy tensed at the memory. In a fit of impulsivity and desperation, he faked a broken leg and claimed that he was rescuing a kitten from the roof of one of the houses in the village. He told everyone he lost his balance and then slammed into the ground, breaking his leg (The kitten was okay though). His father had kept praising him, saying how proud he was going to be of him when he won, and how he was going to go off and do "great things". He buckled under the pressure of his family and friends at school so he forfeited the match. His friends and family understood his situation and while they were disappointed he lost, they weren't necessarily disappointed in him (not his father though. He didn't speak to him for three weeks after the match). No, his father smiling like that definitely doesn't mean good news for him. No matter, he gave them a fake smile and took his place to the left of him. 

"What's going on? Why did you wake me up at--" he glanced at the clock perched on the wall behind his father. "eight in the morning?" He took a bite of the apple in front of him (no, not the fake one).

"Your father and I were discussing... and we both agreed that maybe it was time for you get married!" Troy spit out the apple.

"WHAT???"  _ damn just diving right into it, okay. _

"I'm just saying maybe it's time for you get a girlfriend, get married, and make lots of grandbabies of your own!" Troy froze up at the word "girl". His parents didn't know yet that he wasn't really  **interested** in getting a girlfriend. Or girls in general. "That's why we decided that you're going to marry Princess Annabelle of Citylan!" His mother clapped her hands and was practically shaking in excitement. Troy, on the other hand, was not very excited. At all. She took his silence and wide eyes as happiness and continued on with her plan. "I haven't seen you with a girl since that Beth from school and that was over two years ago. Plus, you're spending too much time in that village. We don't want you to contract whatever diseases are being spread  **down there** ." She muttered "down there" like the village was actually made up of cockroaches and not normal humans. "You're going to marry that girl. She's the same age as you and she's very pretty."

Troy was at a complete loss of words.

"Plus, tensions are high between the two kingdoms and this could finally ease it enough to trade with them again. I haven't had seafood in ages." King Samuel adds with a groan and a faraway smile on his face.

The kingdom of Citylan is located next to the sea while the kingdom of Greendale is surrounded by miles and miles of trees. Citylan brings in fish, crab, and lots of other seafood while Greendale specializes in meats, specifically chicken tenders. The two kingdoms traded with each other, benefiting off of each other's strengths, until Troy's grandfather and Annabelle's grandfather got into a heated argument over which kingdom had the best food. Before you know it, the two kingdoms battled in a year-long cook-off, bringing in judges from all over the world. After Greendale was announced the winner (and after the rematch cook-off which also lasted a year and in which Greendale was also announced the winner), Citylan closed its doors for trade and any members of Greendale. The two kingdoms lived in animosity for several decades. However, they still competed in annual events such as academic decathlons and sporting competitions. Citylan always won any and all academic challenges (because fish is a brain food), while Greendale's meat allowed for its brawny and well-built members to win the athletic side of the challenges. Troy's wrestling match was the first time anyone from Citylan had ever beaten anyone from Greendale in an athletic competition (even though it was a forfeit). No one was really mad at him for doing so because he broke his leg while "rescuing a kitten". Only his father was disappointed in him, but sadly, that was the one person who mattered the most. 

"I'm not going to marry the princess! I haven't even met her!" 

"It's just a meeting. If you don't like her that's good enough for us." added his mother. Troy raised an eyebrow. His mother wasn't the type to back down so quickly. 

"Fine." Troy grumbled, bringing his head down and kicking a loose pebble off the carpet. He couldn't exactly tell them that the real reason why he didn't want to marry the girl was because he was already in love with someone else. Specifically a man.

_ It's fine. All I have to do is meet the girl and then tell my parents that she's not the right one for me. Easy. _ He tried not to think about Abed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abed's long-winded monologue of his and Troy's relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this fic is literally making me look up things like when were couches invented. and i looked it up falafel was invented after this time period but for the sake of matching the show please ignore it. also the plays i mention in here are fake. also the doctor stuff at the beginning is probably wrong sorry also, when it says like two months later, it means like two months from what even happened last, sorry just clarifying. italics are thoughts and trigger warning for internalized homophobia, I'll put up a summary at the bottom. also thank you for reading hope you enjoy *abed's finger guns* pew pew

_Shit._ Abed heard a pop in his ankle when he landed. _Maybe this rope wasn’t the best idea after all._ He cleared his head and raced towards the woods, looking over his shoulder and seeing the castle become smaller and smaller.

After what could have been seconds or hours of running, his right ankle was searing with pain. Abed bit his lip to muffle his groans. He resisted the urge to look down, but his curiosity won out. Abed tilted his head. The small red bump on his ankle couldn't possibly be the culprit for the throbbing pain he was experiencing.

He shook his head. _Just keep going, the village isn’t too far away_. He repeated the phrase in his head like a mantra, hoping and praying it was true. The smell of freshly baked bread snapped him out of his thoughts. He could see the smoke of the fire in the air, the only indication of the village. _I have to be close_. Hopping on one foot, he made his way to the village. He could see the smoke become closer and closer, until he finally broke his way out of the woods and into the village of Greendale.

The village was already bustling despite it only being— “excuse me what time is it?” he asked to a milkmaid who was holding an empty bucket.

“8:30” she replied nonchalantly before briskly walking away.

despite it only being 8:30. Of course, rumor had it that Princess Annabelle of Citylan was making her way through the village to the castle. That could be the reason why the entire village was filled with energy, with every villager seeming to be on a mission. Still on one foot, Abed hopped the way to his house which was only about a mile away. The villagers were rushing this way and that way, trying to get their tasks done for the day. Fresh bread and smoky fire and juicy strawberries swirled in the air to compose the smell of Greendale in the early summer. Abed had no issue tuning them out, blocking out the sounds until he managed to reach his house. However, he was blocked the others so well that he didn’t see Jeff tap him on his shoulder. The surprise made him stomp his right foot down, sending a shot of pain straight through his leg. He winced, trying his hardest not to howl.

Jeff retracted his hand, giving him a look of concern. “What the hell happened to you?”

Abed gave his blankest face and tried to keep the hint of pain out of his voice. “Nothing. I fell out of a tree.”

“You fell out of a tree.” Jeff repeated, giving him a skeptical look. He didn't believe the story one bit.

“Fine. I slid down a 60-foot rope and landed on my foot the wrong way.” 

“YOU WHAT?” Jeff shrieked, his eyes twitching and his face turning tomato red.

“It’s fine.”

“IT’S CLEARLY NOT FINE, ABED.”

He shrugged it off. “I’m not going to the doctor.” Abed replied with an edge to his voice. Jeff knew most of all his discomfort for visiting doctors. He once caught Abed trying to remove his own tonsils.

“Fine.” Jeff had accepted long ago that that was something he couldn’t force Abed to do. Though not for lack of trying. He did try. Lots of time. He gave him a look of annoyed acceptance, and picked him up, bridal-style.

“What are you doing?” Abed asked, but not really objected. His left foot was tired from all the hopping.

“I’m taking you to my house. I have bandages there.” Jeff replied casually. He suddenly stopped and looked down at Abed. “Oh my god, it’s like carrying a bag of sticks.”

Abed shrugged, or shrugged as best as he could while still being in Jeff’s arms. 

He carried him all the way to his house, which wasn’t very far, and propped him against the door of his cottage. It was a standard cottage, a little bit bigger than most, with blank white walls and a triangular roof. The inside looked even more plain than the outside. There were no drawings and had the bare minimum amount of furniture. Apart from a small wooden table here and a mirror there, the house looked empty in a depressing sort of way.

Abed hopped his way to the dining room table, and leaned back on it, moving his weight from his left leg to the table. 

Jeff has been his closest friend ever since he came to Greendale when he was seven. He knows Jeff doesn't want to admit it, but Abed's his closest friend as well. Jeff took him under his wing and took care of him when his mother was still in Citylan and his father was too busy working his falafel shop. He knows deep down Jeff truly does care for him even though he'd scoff and roll his eyes if Abed ever asked him. He also knows what's it like too, to have one parent. Jeff knows what it feels like to be abandoned and lonely and empty. Abed likes his company and likes spending time with him even though he may yell at him from time-to-time. Everyone does, so he's used to it. 

He saw Jeff rummage around in his almost empty-cabinet and bring out a small case of first aid supplies. He warily pulled out a small roll of white cloth and then walked outside, leaving Abed alone in his house. Jeff returned a few minutes later with a long piece of wood, about a foot long. 

Silently, he began to wrap the wood around Abed’s injured ankle with the cloth to use as a splint. Abed winced as the wood made contact with his ankle, but Jeff continued wrapping the bandage around it. Abed noticed his trembling hands, how he was making sure to be as gentle as possible, not wanting to hurt him. After reaching the end of the spool, he tucked the end of the bandage underneath one of the wraparounds before standing up admiring his work.

“Thank you.” Abed commented in a quiet voice. He knows he probably wouldn’t have been able to do this if it was just him.

It was silent for a few moments. Not awkward silent, but a still silent. 

"So. Why did you slide down a 60-foot rope again?" Jeff asks, raising his eyebrow just the slightest bit. He was curious, very curious, but understood if Abed didn't want to talk about it.

"It was early in the morning and I didn't have time to sneak out of the castle. Luckily, Troy and I had fashioned a rope a few weeks earlier just in case. I never expected that I would actually have to use the rope, but it was my fault for setting us up for the classic getaway trope." Abed replied rather nonchalantly. 

"Troy?" Jeff asked. "Who's Troy?"

Wide and unblinking, Abed responded, "Prince Troy."

Jeff's eyes became as wide as saucers. "You're friends with Prince Troy?

"Boyfriends, actually."

Abed didn't think it was possible for Jeff's eyes to grow bigger than it already had, but it did. Jeff knew that if this were anyone else he would have shrugged it off and started laughing. But this was Abed.

"Let me get this straight," Jeff responded, closing his eyes and rubbing the bridge of his nose. "You're dating Prince Troy, son of King Samuel and Queen Ada, and the heir to the Greendale throne? And who all the girls describe as the most eligible bachelor in the kingdom?"

"Yes."

"ABED, WHAT THE FUCK." Jeff erupted, spraying a bit of spit all over his face. "WHY IS THIS THE FIRST TIME I'M HEARING OF THIS?'

"You never asked."

Jeff closed his eyes and started counting down from ten, a trick he learned in anger management class. “Fine. Well, I’m asking now. What the hell is going on with you and Prince Troy?” Jeff said, saying Troy’s name with an air of confusion and disbelief.

Abed’s eyes went wide and he spread out his fingers in anticipation. “It’s flashback time.”

“Oh god.”

* * *

~ two years ago ~

Prince Troy, star of Greendale’s wrestling team, the Human Beings, and known for his way with the ladies, was walking through the town. He was beside his parents who were making their monthly trip through the village. The villagers were wearing their fanciest clothes and the bakers were putting forth their most delectable dishes. While others were wearing elegant dresses and colored shirts, Abed was wearing his simple tunic with pants that were much too small for him. Gobi Nadir had told his son to put out the best of the falafels he was making on the counter of their small stand. Abed had complied, but personally, he didn’t care much for the royal family. Of course, their son Troy was pretty attractive, but that was all Abed had ever noticed about the family. He also knew about the their grace and hospitality, but that was about it. He hadn’t even realized the Barnes’ were in town until he heard a crowd of villagers coming his way, yelling to get the attention of the royal family. Abed looked up, more because of the loud noises coming his way rather than interest. He locked eyes with the prince, before the latter quickly turned his head away, clearly blushing. Abed shrugged it off, assuming that maybe Prince Troy was looking at the girl next to him. It didn't matter anyway because he assumed that would probably be the last time he would ever interact with a member of the family. He was wrong.

* * *

~ a month later ~

Troy was alone in the village for the first time in his life. When King Samuel and Queen Ada would saunter into the village, Prince Troy was always right beside them, smiling at the crowd and making girls swoon. But this time, the prince was by himself, his parents off in another part of the town. Of course that meant he was completely and utterly surrounded by maidens of all ages, trying to get a look at the dashing prince. Abed found it especially inconvenient because it was making his trip to the market a lot more difficult. 

His father had asked him to step into the center of the town in search of more chickpeas and onions for the falafel stand. Abed had left his station next to the fire and jogged to the market, money in hand. 

“Three bags of onions and six jars of chickpeas, please.” Abed asked the lady behind a stand. He knew she had the most expensive meats, but the cheapest vegetables which was convenient for his situation. She wordlessly handed him his vegetables and took the money spread out in his hand. 

“Anything else?” Despite buying from the lady for years, she had never once bothered to learn his name. Abed didn’t mind; he didn’t know her name either. 

His eyes scanned the selection of food in front of him. His eyes wandered from the vegetables, to the fruits, to the pig she was roasting next to the stand. He decided he was in the mood for something sweet, and asked for a jar of strawberry jam. 

He completed the transaction by handing her the money and then started strolling to the falafel stand. Strawberry jam was his favorite. He popped open the lid and put it underneath his nose, basking in its sweet scent. He allowed himself to become lost in the smell, bringing back memories of his mother’s jam, how she would spend time collecting strawberries from the bush in their backyard and melt all the ingredients together, creating the perfect blend of sweet and tangy. Of course, the market’s strawberry jam wasn’t nearly as good as hers, but it was good enough. Abed didn’t like a lot of smells, but strawberry jam was one of his favorites. He allowed himself to get so lost in his memories, that he didn’t even see the crowd of people coming his way. 

He soon found himself in the middle of the frenzy, trying his hardest to stay as still as possible, not wanting to waste a drop of the jam. With one hand holding the vegetables and the other holding both the jar and the lid, Abed attempted to use his hand holding the vegetables to remove the lid from under the strawberry jam. However, his attempts were futile as his left hand was unable to break free from the space between himself and another girl in the crowd who was screaming Troy’s name. Abed watched as a few drops of jam trickled out from the top. He cursed under his breath. He saw two choices: either push his way through the crowd and spill the jam, or stay still and hope they pass him. But before he could make his choice, a villager in a large, blue, frilly dress crashed into him, causing his body to jerk forward, and with it, his jar of strawberry jam. Abed saw the world slow down in front of him as the jam flew out of the jar, and landed on none other than Prince Troy.

A gasp came out of Troy, simultaneous to Abed’s. Troy peered down, staring at the now pink and sticky stain on his white dress shirt. His eyes suddenly snapped up, focusing his gaze on the now-empty jar of jam before meeting Abed’s eyes in a curious expression. The once howling crowd was silent and dispersed, awkwardly heading back to work, not wanting to see what was going to happen to Abed. After what felt like days of suffocating tension, Abed trudged forward until he was in front of the other boy. He carefully examined his face, waiting to see if it was better to apologize upfront, or sprint and get a head start. He figured apologizing was the best choice for this situation.

“I’m sorry, I had the jar open and then someone was pushed into me, and then the jam went flying, but of course you knew that. I’m not trying to shift the blame like a lot of other characters do in plays I’m just giving you an explanation. I am sorry, not fake-sorry like Theodore was in The Man Und--” 

“It’s okay.” Troy interrupted, giving Abed a small smile. 

“Sorry, I tend to ramble when I’m nervous.” Abed commented, pointing his finger, which was no easy task considering he still had the jar in his hands.

“Oh, do I make you nervous?’ Troy asked, throwing his head back and giving a small laugh. 

“I mean, I just spilled my strawberry jam on you so yeah, a little.” Abed stated in a flat voice. _Is this a laughing scenario? Am I supposed to be laughing?_ He settled on a tiny, closed smile and hoped that was enough. Troy gave a wide smile in response and _Oh, I get why all those girls were giggling about him now._ He hoped his beating heart wasn’t as loud as it was in his ears. “My falafel stand is right around the corner. I have a few napkins there where you could clean up if you wanted.” Abed winced. His voice was never usually that high. 

“Sure. That would be great.”

Abed advanced forward, ~~hoping~~ assuming that Troy was following him. 

He proceeded along the path, stopping at his falafel stand and turning around, immediately greeted by Troy’s warm smile. Abed quickly turned around again and scrambled for the napkins besides the cash register. He handed Troy some of the napkins and began dabbing them to his sticky shirt. 

“I’m really sorry for spilling the jam on you.” Abed said, making eye contact with the prince. His face was mere inches away from his. Troy stared back into his soulful eyes, but quickly broke eye contact, instead focusing his gaze on his stained shirt.

“Uh--it’s okay.” Troy replied, sounding a little nervous. _Was he blushing?_ “It just kinda sucks ‘cause I really liked this shirt.” He chuckled and gave a small smile, laughing at his own joke. “Plus, I didn’t even want to come here in the first place.”

Abed froze in his place. The Barnes family was known for their kindness and graciousness towards their people, especially the villagers who lived in the town below. In their monthly trips to the village, they always looked happy to be here and happy to talk to the common-folk. Troy admitting he didn’t want to come here came as a huge shock, especially because the family had always painted themselves as absolute angels. Troy, realizing what he just said, started to grow flustered, or more flustered than he was before.

“Oh shit--sorry I didn’t mean to say that--oh shit I didn’t mean to say that I didn’t mean that. Uh--I’m sorry, you just have such gentle and mysterious eyes--” Abed looked up in shock after that; his eyes wide open. “--Shit, sorry, I start rambling when I get nervous.” Troy rubbed the back of his neck with his hand and gave Abed an awkward smile.

The corner of Abed’s mouth twitched. “Oh, do I make you nervous?” 

Troy’s eyes twinkled. He beamed, laughing at Abed’s voice which he changed to mimic his.

“A little bit.” Troy replied, tilting his head and winking at the other boy.

Abed felt the heat rise in his cheeks, though he’s pretty sure Troy didn’t notice.

“Okay, I think this is the most I can do.” The strawberry stain was still there, but the stickiness was rubbed off, leaving only a vibrant pink color. 

Troy looked down, examining the stain on his shirt before looking up and with a small smile on his face. “Thank you!”

“You don’t have to thank me. I’m the one who spilled on you.”

“I meant thank you for keeping me company.” Troy said, giving a sheepish smile, not meeting Abed’s eyes.

“Oh. Well, you’re welcome.” 

The two boys stood in embarrassing silence before Troy piped up. “I guess I better get going then.”

“Um okay. Goodbye.” Abed replied, very flatly.

“Okay, Goodbye.” Troy said awkwardly, as he began to jog back to the castle. But not before turning around and giving Abed a small wave. And then tripping on a small branch.

Abed waved back, before quickly cleaning up the mess he made in the stand and running into the house to wash his face. His cheeks were burning red as the realization came to him that he just had a full conversation with Prince Troy, where he called Abed's eyes gentle and mysterious. _What the hell just happened?_

* * *

~ one day later ~

Abed was setting up the falafel stand for the day when he saw a familiar face trotting towards him. 

“Hey!” Troy cried, waving a small container in his right hand. He was grinning from ear to ear. He was wearing a navy button-up and a pair of black slacks. Abed looked up, curious as to why Troy Barnes was jogging towards him. He turned around, just in case there was someone behind him. “Yes you!” He shouted, wearing his trademark grin, known for making girls faint at the sight. It was blinding.

Troy caught up to the stand, holding out his container. It was only then did Abed realize what it was: a jar of strawberry jam. He tilted his head, _Is that for me?_

Troy sensing his confusion, held out the jar for Abed to take. “Here.” It was even bigger than the one Abed bought yesterday, and more expensive. The label showed that this jar of jam was made all the way from California. The shipping alone probably cost more than an entire week’s worth of meals.

“I can’t take this.” Abed replied, shaking his head and pushing the jar towards Troy.

“Take it. You helped clean me up yesterday. This is the least I could do.”

“I cleaned you up because I'm the one that spilled on you. I can’t take this it’s too expensive.”

“Take it. Please.” Troy repeated. Abed looked up to find Troy’s eyes piercing his. They were soft, but held something else in them. A sort of wanting that Abed couldn’t place. He broke eye contact and reached for the jar, taking it and examining its size and content.

“Thank you.” Abed whispered, his lips quirked up in a soft smile. He gazed up, meeting Troy’s eyes in a firmer and stronger, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Troy grinned broadly, showing every bit of the happiness and warmth he felt in his chest on his face. “Hey, I just realized. I don’t even know your name.”

Abed looked up, reciprocating the smile on Troy’s face. “Abed.”

“Troy.”

They both smiled, before quickly staring at the ground, not wanting each other to see the blush rising in their cheeks.

Suddenly, in a fit of impulsivity and vulnerability, something came over Abed. Before he could stop himself, before his brain could connect to his mouth, the words came tumbling out. “Can I show you something?”

Troy quirked his head, his eyebrows furrowed. Abed panicked, worried that he had messed up, that this was moving too fast, before Troy responded to his question with an enthusiastic, “Sure!”

Abed, surprised at himself for suggesting the question and even more surprised at Troy’s response, took a moment to collect himself before flashing Troy a wide smile, or as wide as Abed’s smiles ever went.

He placed his hand on top of Troy’s in a curious way, curious to see if this was okay. Troy slowly turned his hand, his palms facing up, and interlaced his fingers with his.

Abed grabbed his hand and dashed into the woods, with Troy struggling to keep up with him. If it weren’t for the tight grip Abed was holding on Troy, he probably would have fallen behind long ago. The trees started to blur together, and the sun was becoming more and more clouded behind a sea of pine trees. The ground was littered with stray branches and sturdy rocks. Tiny enough not to be noticeable, but large enough to be easily tripped on.

After about a mile of running, Abed abruptly stopped in front of a wall of vines. Troy bent over, his arms on his knees, trying to catch his breath. It wasn’t until he looked up to see where he was did he realize how breath-taking the scenery was before him. The pine trees stretched so high that he couldn’t even see where it ended. The trees were dotted with goldfinches, warblers, and sparrows of all colors and sizes. Their high-pitched whistles were blending together to make a simple, yet sweet melody. For all his time spent surrounded by the woods, he’s never once visited them. If he knew that this is what the woods contained, he would’ve spent hours in here everyday. None of them were as beautiful a sight as Abed though, with the sunlight crashing against his face. His cheekbones and nose were highlighted by the sunlight, but they couldn’t compare to his eyes. His dark brown eyes were accentuated by the bright light, giving a sparkle in them he had never seen before. Troy could spend hours getting lost in those beautiful eyes and trust me, he wanted to. 

“Here we are.” Abed stated, snapping Troy out of his daze. Abed pushed aside the wall of vines to reveal a secret area, covered in greenery. The plants were completely coating it, with the entrance they walked in through as the only viable way out or in. If Abed had not led him here, Troy surely would have missed it. The greenery wasn’t the thing Troy was looking at, however, it was the huge stage at the center of it all. The stage was badly damaged, with several planks of wood missing from the base and the center of it. The velvety curtains, which were once rich and magnificent, were now covered in dirt and clawed at so much you could barely tell it used to be a curtain. The stage was old and beat up almost to the point of being entirely unusable.

“It’s beautiful.” Troy declared in awe, his mouth agape, and eyes wide and unblinking. Troy Barnes who had never once stepped foot outside of Greendale was in complete and utter shock. This stage in all its shabbiness, was the most astonishing thing he had ever seen. Abed looked down at him, at his astonished face, and couldn’t help but smile. 

“I come here sometimes. To think and create plays.” He ran his fingers over the stage. “I’ve been trying to fix it up. As you can see, it’s not really going that well.” He picked up the bottom part of the curtain and felt the tattered fabric in his palm. “I’m not really good at fixing things.”

“I am.” Troy responded, looking up at Abed’s quirked head. “I can help you fix it.”

“Why would you do that?” Abed asked. His voice wasn’t angry or irritated; it was more of disbelief. It’s been two days since Abed had met the young prince, and he’s already shown him the stage in the middle of the woods, the thing Abed held dearest to his heart. There’s something about him, the way he so openly shows his emotions, the way they’re effortlessly displayed on his face, that makes Abed so easily trust him. So easily allow him into his heart. _His heart_ , the one thing he’s been guarding for years. The one thing locked so tightly in a cell that there's no way it could never see the light of day again. But for some reason, these two days with Troy has him lowering all his defenses and all his systems. It was like Abed had been locked alone in this prison for years, but Troy had the key. Troy makes him feel special, makes him feel loved. But it scares him. Scares him that one day, Troy is going to lower all Abed's guards, all his senses, and open the prison door with that blinding smile, only to eventually leave him. Like everyone else in his life. But for now, that love he has in his heart is manageable and still somewhat guarded. Guarded enough to let Troy help him fix up the stage. It’s not until Troy is standing outside his cell, with a key in his hand does he have to be worried. For now, with his heart still guarded he can let Troy into his life. He just has to make sure that that’s all it is though. Just his life. Not his heart.

"Because you need help, and I'm good at building things. Plus, this looks like it could be fun." Troy said with wide eyes and that gorgeous smile of his. _Damn that smile._

"Okay. You can help me fix the stage. And thank you." Abed said, trying not to look at the way Troy's face lit up at that.

“No problem. Should we start now?” 

“Sure. Do you have the materials and tools?” Troy asked, looking around the open space before his eyes landed on the toolbox right next to the stage. “Perfect.”

Troy quickly got to work, grabbing the necessary materials and then hammering away, using the tool to bang down the spare boards to the stage.

Abed couldn't help but notice how fast and delicately Troy's fingers moved. It was like he was run on a motor, not stopping until the work he completed was perfect. “How did you get so good at building things?”

“I dunno. Guess it’s always been in me.” Troy answered without looking up, completely immersed in his work. 

Abed grabbed the pieces of velvet fabric and started sewing them where the holes of the curtain would be. He was never good at using hammers and nails.

Several times he caught Troy stealing glances at him. One time, out of curiosity, Abed glanced back and Troy immediately lowered his head and went back to work, his cheeks blushing furiously. Abed tried not to think about what that meant.

After the sun was bright enough to sneak in through the little gaps on the pine trees, they decided it was time to take a break. 

“If I had known we would've been here for a while I would’ve brought lunch.” Abed said, kicking a small pebble on the grass. He was sitting on top of the stage, facing the “audience”. Troy was lying beside him along the edge of the stage, with his head right beside Abed’s lap.

“It’s okay, I’m not really that hungry.” As if on cue, Troy’s stomach growled, drowning out the chirps of the other birds.

Abed abruptly jumped off the stage and turned to Troy who was now sitting up, resting on his forearms “Follow me.”

They both journeyed to the edge of the area, where Abed pushed aside a few plants and weeds to reveal hidden bushes of strawberries. Troy’s eyes sparkled as he suddenly started picking from the bush, using his shirt as a basket to hold all the strawberries.

The two collapsed next to the bush, their stomachs growling from eating too many strawberries. 

Troy couldn’t contain his fit of giggles as he started breaking out into laughter. Abed soon followed, laughing about laughing. They were tired and full and crazy. Both of them had never had a more perfect day. After the giggling died down, they lay beside one another in silence, content to stay in each other’s warmth forever. 

Troy broke the quiet by asking Abed, “Hey man, how did you even find this place?”

“I was looking for somewhere to plant my strawberry seeds, but then I stumbled onto this outdoor stage. I come here whenever I feel tired or overwhelmed.”

“So how often do you come here?”

“Once a day.”

Troy sat up. “You get overwhelmed that much?”

"Well, I used to. Now I just come here to write about plays. Or when everyone's being too loud."

"Oh." It was quiet now. Not a comfortable quiet, but an awkward one. "Does anyone else know about this place?"

"Just you."

"oh, thank you." 

"For what?" Abed asked, his head tilted to the side.

"For letting me into your special place."

"I guess it's our special place now." Abed said, before lying back down on the ground. Troy had a small smile on his face, his eyes showing nothing but warmth and gratitude. No one had ever shown him something so precious before. He'd never had something as amazing and special as this. The closest thing he could think of was the library at the top of the castle. He never liked to read any of the books, just to sit in its quiet and cozy embrace. That place was a safe haven for him whenever he was in a rotten mood or whenever he just needed some time away from his life as a prince. When he was up there, he didn't feel like any different; he just felt like a normal person. And once in a while, he needed that.

"I wish I could show you my library in the castle. It's kind of like this place except indoors and filled with books." He said the next part slowly and quietly, not meeting his eyes. "I think you would really like it."

"Why don't you just show it to me then?"

"Uh-- it's in the castle."

"So?"

A grin crept up on Troy's face. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"An elaborate break-in into the castle to see the library?" Abed asked, a finger gun pointing Troy's way.

"Get out of my brain."

* * *

~ a year later ~

“Why am I doing this again?” Troy was hanging off his bed, looking at Abed upside down.

“The blood rushing to your head will give you an idea of what we could do next.”

“Like an efipany?”

“Epiphany. And yes.”

It had been more than a year since Abed had met Troy and become best friends with him. Since then, they have fought dragons and monsters in the Dreamatorium, and have escaped the clutches of Shirley the Stewardess and her terrible knocking skills. They've even reenacted a sex scene on the stage in the woods. They’ve done so much together that they were running out of things to do. 

It wasn’t until Troy pulled himself upright on the bed and got a blistering headache, did he realize the answer was in right in front of them the entire time.

“Abed! The efipany worked!”

“Epiphany, and what do you mean?”

“WE COULD BUILD A BLANKET FORT.”

Abed’s eyes widened as the idea of the blanket fort slowly crystalized in his mind. He pointed a finger at Troy and started clawing at the sheets on his bed. “Yes! And we could put that chair in the corner of the room, stack some pillows for the other corner, and use your bed posts as the third beam for the fort. It’s all coming together.”

Troy grinned, not only because this was going to be the most awesome blanket fort ever, but because he was the reason why Abed had that large smile on his face.

They spent the next thirty minutes constructing their blanket fort, and putting reinforcements where reinforcements were needed. It wasn’t until Troy had placed the final pillow underneath the fort did they stop to admire their holy creation. 

“We did it.” Troy exclaimed in awe. Their blanket fort was the size of his entire room and it was filled to the brim of pillows stolen from different areas of the castle and blankets stolen from the supply closet down the hall. It was magnificent

“Now all that’s left is for us to go in it. Race you.” They both bolted into the fort, dropping to all fours and climbing in as fast as they could. Ultimately Abed won because as Troy would put it, “You’re like all stick and no meat. If we were stuck on a deserted island, everyone would agree to eat you last.”

Abed had crawled his way to the edge of the blanket fort, to the side that was strong enough to be leaned on and not fall down. Troy sidled up to him, placing himself between Abed’s legs, leaning on him for support. This wasn’t unusual for them; they had gotten extremely close over the past year with Troy starting to touch Abed more and more. At first it was hand-holding, but slowly, it turned into hugs and cuddles and even spooning. The truth was Abed didn’t really mind the touch. Troy’s hugs and squeezes grounded him to reality when nothing else could. Plus, Troy always smelled like hot chocolate.

After minutes in quiet embrace, Troy tilted his head up and spoke softly into the still fort. “I’ve never built a blanket fort before.”

“Neither have I. But I think we did a good job.”

“We did, didn’t we.” Troy was drifting off to sleep. He was trying to keep his eyes open, but the blanket fort created such a dark atmosphere, with minimal sunlight through the blankets, and Abed was just so damn comfortable. “You know I haven’t really done anything before.”

Abed shifted slightly. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve never done anything, really. I’ve never even set foot in the woods before I met you. I’ve been holed up in this castle for 20 years. I guess, I’ve never really questioned it, questioned any of it, until I met you. You showed me that there was so much more to life than I’ve even known. I mean, haven’t you ever wanted to just get on a boat and see the world?”

“Not really. Would you like to be on a boat right now?” Abed whispered sheepishly.

“Nah, I like where I am.” Troy sidled closer to Abed, resting his head on his chest.

* * *

~ one month later ~

“You’ve been ignoring me.” Abed stated as he managed to pull Troy away from the street and into an alley between two cottages. _Maybe I should've picked another alley._ It was so small it only gave the two six inches of space between them.

“No I’m not!” Troy’s voice became several pitches higher as he started shaking his head. Abed raised an eyebrow. It was extremely clear that Troy was definitely hiding something. “I have no idea what you’re even talking about! Me--” he pointed a finger at himself and then pointed it at Abed. “--Ignoring you! Insane! I--I don’t even know who you are!” 

“ _Troy_. Best friends don’t lie to each other, remember?” 

“But what if what I said would change the course of our entire friendship?” Troy replied. His voice was small and quiet and he was facing down, his eyes focused on the dirt floor. Abed probably wouldn’t have been able to hear it if he wasn’t so close to Troy. 

“It won’t. Nothing you could ever say would ever make me want to stop being friends with you. Best friends.” Troy looked up and Abed could see the tears threatening to spill from his eyes. He carefully took Troy’s hands in his, making sure not to break eye contact, to let him know that he was here for him.

“You don’t know that!” Troy exclaimed, snatching his hand from out of Abed’s touch.

“Yes, I do.” Abed had stated, taking Troy’s hands again. “I don’t care what it is, we’re always going to be friends!”

Troy winced at word, shaking his hands out from Abed’s again. He took a deep breath. “Those monsters, those disgusting sinners I grew up learning about, I’m one of them.” He looked up, meeting Abed’s eyes for what felt like the last time. Because surely, once Abed found out who he really was, he would leave him, would abandon him. Because who would ever want to hang out with a sinner like him? Abed would leave and Troy wouldn’t even blame him. “And--and I felt lost, stuck in this never-ending loop of hatred and loathing. It took me a while to even acknowledge it, to even think about how I could be like one of _those people_. But still I couldn’t say it. I can barely say it now. I couldn’t even say it alone in my room in front of a mirror. Because--because it felt like even saying those two words out loud was sealing my fate. A fate I’ve been trying so fucking hard to avoid.”

“What are you trying to say?” Abed’s voice was quiet now too, eyes boring into Troy’s.

“I’m gay.” Those words burned on his tongue, leaving a revolting taste on his mouth. He was ashamed. He was ashamed of who he was. He let his face fall to the ground, waiting for the rejection to come, waiting for Abed to push him and stomp away. 

“Hey, hey. Look at me.” Abed said, using his fingers to lift Troy’s chin to meet his eyes. “This doesn’t change how I feel about you at all, okay? I’m still always going to be your friend.” Abed flashed him a small, but reassuring smile. He loved Troy, truly loved him, and that was never going to change, no matter what.

“That’s the problem.”

“What?” 

“I like you. Not in a best friends kinda way but in a ‘hey if you kissed me I would definitely kiss you back’ kinda way. And I’ve been trying so much to push this side of me down but it’s been getting harder and harder to do when even the thought of you brings all these feelings back to the surface. And once I realized what those feelings were, I tried even harder to push them down again. And it worked for a little while. Or at least when I wasn’t reminded of you. And that's hard because every single thing reminds me of you.” Troy brought his head down again, not wanting to look at Abed, not wanting to see the rejection flash across his face. “But I’ll be okay if you don't like me back, hell, I'll be okay if you even wanna still be my friend after this.”

“Troy…” Abed had whispered, not bothering to keep the sadness out of his voice.

“It’s okay.” Troy said, tears rolling down his cheek. His sobs, muffled by his hand. “I’ll be okay. And--and it’s okay” * _hic*_ “you can just leave I won't judg--” His sentence was cut short by Abed placing his hand on Troy’s cheek, feeling the trail of tears on his face. Troy gazed at Abed’s face, the soft smile and kind eyes that said a thousand words. The soft smile coming closer, closer, and closer, until, magic. 

Troy immediately melted into the kiss, placing his right hand on top of Abed, and the other behind his neck, feeling the softness of his hair. Abed’s arm wrapped behind Troy’s waist, pulling him closer and closer until there was no space between them. Until they weren't able to tell where Abed ended and Troy began. Days or seconds seemed to have passed, but neither of them could care less. Hell, an asteroid could crash into the Earth and they still wouldn't break apart. They couldn't. This isn’t the first time they’ve kissed, but it was never like this. Never held so much raw passion and emotion. The kiss had the love and comfort and yearning and determination of two people who’ve been in love with each other for far too long, but only seemed to realize it now. The world seemed to spin around them; they didn't care. 

They finally pulled apart, both breathing heavily like their lives depended on it. 

“Wow.” Abed said, his pupils blown and lips puffed up and shiny.

“Wow.” Troy replied.

* * *

~ a month later ~

“It’s okay, Troy.” Abed said, trying his best to comfort him. His arm was over Troy’s waist and his other hand was wiping the tears off his cheek. “You were saving a kitten. No one blames you for forfeiting the wrestling match. Everyone still loves you!” 

“You don’t understand!” Troy cried, curling up next to Abed over the ledge of the windowsill, his cheeks stained with tears. “I didn’t actually break my leg!”

“I figured.”

“You did?”

“Yeah. When you got off the bed you landed on both feet.” Troy looked absolutely mortified, but Abed just gave him a soft chuckle.

Looking at Abed, with the moon reflecting off of his wide, gentle eyes, Troy was brought back to the day where he first saw him. Not the day Abed spilled jam on him, but a month before that, when he first noticed the beautiful vendor putting falafel on the stand. 

“You know,” Troy said, his spirits being slightly lifted. “I remembered seeing you about a month before we actually met.”

Abed quirked his head.

“Yeah.” Troy said, his smile reaching his eyes. Just like that, his mood was lifted. “I remembered thinking you were cute.”

“Oh really?” Abed said, playfully hitting Troy was his elbow. Soon they were both giggling like crazy which is not something you really want when you’re sitting over a ledge and a 60-foot drop.

“We actually made eye contact!” Troy had exclaimed, giddy, high on the way Abed was clinging to him. “And then I looked away because I was ashamed that I found you so cute.” 

The mood was immediately soured, with Abed furrowing his brow and his smile quickly replaced by a frown. With that, Abed had pulled in Troy even closer, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead.

"You're perfect exactly the way you are, you know that right?" Abed had asked him, his head tilted in that curious way of his.

"Yeah, I do know that. Because you taught me it." Troy leaned his head to rest against his shoulder. They both looked out into the night sky. 

* * *

~ three weeks later ~

They were curled up in the rocking chair, with Troy sitting on top of Abed's lap, with his head pressed against his chest and his legs resting over the armchair. They were covered in a wool blanket and were holding what Abed called "special drink" which was grounded-up chocolate in cold milk. They were alone in the library, rocking in their chair and watching the sun fall and the colors spread across the sky. 

“I love you.” Abed whispered in Troy's ear. Those three, small words had never felt so right before.

Troy turned his head to find Abed’s wide and unblinking eyes. Eyes that held so much more love than Troy had ever seen in his life. And in that moment, everything felt perfect.

“I love you too.” They leaned in for a gentle and chaste kiss. They didn’t need to kiss for long; they were content basking in each other’s embrace. It was the same day, yet everything felt so different. Because Abed loved Troy, and Troy had loved him back. 

* * *

~ the present ~

“So that’s everything.” Abed had said, recounting the story of his and Troy’s grand adventure.

“Yeah, but did you have to make it that long?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Abed, it’s already noon.” Jeff had said, pointing out the window and at the sun, which was shining high in the sky.

“Sorry.” Abed replied, scratching his head.

“It’s okay.” Jeff said. He was used to Abed’s antics and long-winded monologues. “Wait. But what about Princess Annabelle of Citylan?”

“What about her?” Abed said, his forehead creasing.

“Isn’t she supposed to marry Prince Troy?” Jeff said awkwardly. “The village has been buzzing about it for days.”

"What?" Abed’s eyes grew wide as a high-pitched whine bore out of his throat. 

"Uh-oh."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Abed hurts his ankle from falling down the rope which leads to him explaining his relationship with Troy to Jeff. You see them slowly friends to lovers trope, before Troy admits his feelings to Abed (this is where the internalized homophobia comes in). They're happy together, but at the end of the chapter Jeff breaks the news to him that he's going to marry Princess Annie which Abed didn't know at all.


End file.
